Self-serving store



March 18, 1930. J, GRANT 1,751,199

SELF SERVING STORE Filed March 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor cja d7ai M 9 By QM wi /ram.

Alton; qy

March 18, 1930. I J. N. GRANT 1,751,199

SELF SERVING STORE I Filed March 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 [n ventor fife/7% z/K gram) March 18, 1930. J N GRANT 1,751,199

SELF SERVING STORE Filed March 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 w Inventor a? JZJVM Myra/77? Marchvl8, \J GRANT SELF SERVING STORE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 12, 1928 Inventor 0 J77% gran? finmtzolfizwt Attorney March 18, 1930. J GRANT 1,751,199

- SELF SERVING STORE Filed March 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet fn'uentor Altto 271 e Patented ar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JosErH 1v. GRANT, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, nssrenon'ro 'rnn emu! 'smonns mo,

. A CORPORATION or DELAWARE SELF-SERVING STORE Application filed March'12, 1928, serial No. 260,962.

customer selects and secures for himself the articles he desires to purchase, which articles are then checked up by a cashier and wrapped for transportation from the store.

An object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character whereby occupants of vehicles and pedestrians may pass in a predetermined path through the store and inspect and select the oods which they desire to purchase from isplay racks arranged adjacent the travel of such vehicles v States Letters Patent No.1,633,886 and inand pedestrians.

More particularly the present invention comprises the construction of the display rack, which is mounted for rotation within convenient reach of either the pedestrian or the occupants of the vehicle and'provided with a series of trays arranged for movement with the rack and also providing operating means for the rack with control means arranged for manipulation by either the pedestrian or the occupants of the vehicle whereby to move a desired tray into position for convenient reach whereby to inspect and remove the articles therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character of simple and practical construction, which is neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain in operation, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the special construction, combination and arrangement of the various elements forming the invention, and in which:

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of store structure embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the store showing the battery of display racks in elevation,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through one side of the store illustrating the drive way for the vehicle,

Figure 4 is a side elevational view -of one of the display racks,

Figure 5 is an end levational view thereof,

Figure Sis adetail'of the worm and gear 1 connection for operating the rack, I

display trays carried by the rack,"

Figures 8 and 9 are details of the-support for rotatably mounting the rack,

Figure 10 is a plan view of a modified form of store structure, and

Figure 11 is a similar view of a further modification thereof.

Referringto the drawings in detail, the invention embodies the provision of a store structure, of a type as disclosed inUnited cluding a suitable building having side walls 66 5 with windows 6 and a roof structure 10, the whole enclosing a store space 13. The pencil portion of this enclosed space, in the form ofthe invention as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing is provided with a curbing 14 whereby to slightly elevate such central portion above the portion of themclosed area about the walls of the store, and

arranged upon this elevated portion, close to the edge of the curbing 14, and extending substantially completely -thereabout is a counter 15 forming a support for a battery of display racks indicated generally at 16;

Each of the racks 16 comprises a rack frame including a horizontally disposed shaft 17 journalled for rotation at each end upon brackets 18 extending upwardly from the upper surface of the counter 15, each end of the shaft being provided with a spoke wheel 19 with a series of spaced parallel rods 20 extending between the outer edges thereof.

From each of the rods 20 is freely suspended a pair of tray hangers 21, having their lower ends forked as indicated at 22 and attached to the opposite ends, adjacent the opposite sides of a tray 23.

By reason of the manner in which the trays 23 are freely suspended from the rods 20, the trays are approximately supported at a horizontal plane. At one end of the shaft 17 is arranged a worm 24 engaging a worm wheel 25 operated through a drive pinion 26 from an electric motor 27. A motor 27 is operatively associated with each .of the racks 16 and is 100 Figure 7 is a perspective view of one ofthe I i connected in an electric circuit for the operation of the motor, each motor being controlled by an electric switch 28 positioned on each side of'the counter 15.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings, the central portion of the counter 15, immediately beneath the rack, is arranged at a relatively lower'horizontal plane of the upper portion of the counter in order to perunit the rotation of the rack Without interference of the counter with the trays 23.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the rack 16 may be operated so as to move either of the trays 23 into a position more convenient by a person disposed at either side of the counter 15. At

7 the side of; the counter adjacent the curbing 14. is constructed a 7 vehicle driveway indicated at 30 of suflicient width to permit the passage of-two vehicles, and as clearly illustrated in Figure 3 one of the vehicles, shown at-3l mayjbefldriven over the driveway adjacent the curbing 14 whereby the trays of each of the racks willbe disposed in convenient position to the occupant of the vehicle. Asaclearly illustrated in Figure 1' of the drawings, the, drive way 30 is reached through an entrance 32 at one end of the store structure with a counter 33 arranged alongside the inner edge of the entrance and upon which may be arranged a number of automobile running board attaching trays 34 adapted to be supported in a suitable manner to the running board of the vehicle for supportinga market basket 35 so that as the vehicle passes by the trays 23 the occupant may take the articles therefrom and deposit the same within the basket.

The opposite end of the driveway 30 terminates in an exit '36 adjacent the inner side of which is arranged a counter 37, at which may.

be stationed a cashier to receive payment for the articles selected by the occupant of the vehicle as the vehicle passes from the store and also to collect baskets 34.

Pedestrians may also enter the center space 13 through the turnstile 38 for collecting articles from the inwardly disposed trays 23, exits .for the pedestrians being provided through a turnstile 39 disposed adjacent the counter 37. r

'At the rear end of the store structure, in

the baskets 35 and the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, may be arranged a display space 40 for the display of certain articles, or for storage purposes, and also aspace 41 which may be arranged as a sales room for the sale of automobile accessories or the like.

The space at the end of the store between the store room 40 and sales room 41 may be arranged as a gas filling station 42 for the vehicles passing through the store. The modified store structures illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 in the drawings are de store is peculiarly arranged with respect to the street, the modification shown in Figure 10 representing the plan of the store wherein its opposite end placed on different streets and in which the driveway 43 may extend directly through the store from one street to the other.

In the modification shown by Figure 11 of the drawing the store is shown arranged at a corner of a pair of intersecting streets, the entrance 44 for the driveway 45 having access from one of the streets and the exit 46 having access to the other of said streets. In bothsuch modified forms of invention the counter 15 upon which the racks are arranged are disposed along the curbing 15 formed at one side of the driveway.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Without further description it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

It is obvious that my invention is susceptible to variouschanges and modifications in construction without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims, and I accordingly claim all such forms of the device to which I am entitled. V r

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In combination with a store of the character described having separate vehicle and pedestrian passageways with a counter interposed therebetween, of a display rack rotatably supported upon said counter, said counter having its central portion immetively lower horizontal planeto the upper portion of the counter to permitrotation of the rack without interference with said counter, operating means for the rack and means accessible to either sideof the counter for controlling the operation thereof.

2. In combination with a store of the character described in which separate vehicle and pedestrian passageways are provided with a counter interposed therebetween, a plurality of display racks disposeduponthe counter in end to end relation, said counter having its central portion arranged immediately beneath the rack at a relatively lower horizontal plane of the upper portion of the counter, a horizontally disposed shaft rotatably supported upon the counter for each of a tray freely sus ended from each of said rods and arrange for movement therewith, operating means for the shaft, and means for controlling the operation thereof from a position at either side of said counter.

3. In combination with a store of the class described, in which separate vehicle and pedestrian passageways are provided with the counter interposed therebetween and a battery of display racks rotatably supported upon the counter upon a horizontal axis, a plurality of trays suspended from said racks and movable about the axis of: the racks, operating means for the rack, said means comprising electric motors having individual operable connection with the respective racks, means accessible to either side of the counter for controlling said motors and said counters having their central portions immediately beneath the rack arranged at a relatively lower horizontal plane of the upper portion of the counter in order to permit rotation of the respective racks without interference of the counter with the trays.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 1

JOSEPH N. GRANT. 

